The present invention is directed to a modular self contained air conditioning system such as a self contained unit ventilator or similar system having a blower or fan discharging air into a space to be conditioned. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a modular, serviceable and easily accessible fan assembly including a novel bearing support.
A self contained unit ventilator is a typical packaged air conditioner in that it contains a complete air conditioning system including a serially linked indoor heat exchanger, compressor, outdoor heat exchanger, and an expansion device leading back to the indoor heat exchanger. The outdoor heat exchanger is in fluid communication with outdoor ambient air and, unless the unit ventilator is configured as a heat pump, acts as a condenser. The indoor heat exchanger is in fluid communication with the space to be conditioned and typically acts as an evaporator. The self contained unit ventilator is typically used in classroom or hotel applications and the incremental reduction of size in the unit ventilator provides significant competitive advantages.
Typically the indoor and outdoor sections of the unit ventilator are separated from each other by a physical barrier, and each section includes a blower fan moving air through the respective indoor or outdoor heat exchanger. The blower or fan is preferably a cross flow tangential blower having a scroll housing about the blower where the blower discharge leads into a discharge/diffuser duct. The scroll housing radially expands about the blower and guides the blower discharge into that diffuser duct. A cutoff separates the blower input from the blower discharge. Often, the barrier runs the longitudinal length of the unit ventilator such that the outdoor section is behind and obstructed by the indoor section when viewed from the space being conditioned. The outdoor section can usually be serviced only by removing the indoor section to obtain access. Additionally, it is difficult to access and/or to remove the components for service or maintenance.
For purposes of the present invention, the term blower and the term fan are used interchangeably and are intended to apply to all air moving devices. Additionally, this application is intended to apply to air conditioning systems and heat pump systems, those terms being used interchangeably unless otherwise indicated.